Platform reference · current as of mid-2026

OS Versions, Lifecycles & Build Targets

Launch dates, end-of-life, and the salient gotchas across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android — compiled for deciding an Axmol 2.x support floor.

Current release Still supported / security End of life Upcoming (expected) Suggested support range Apple & Android EOL = approx.; Windows = official

Windows

official EOL dates · build = technical identifier

Version	Launched	End of support	Build	Status / note
Windows 7 SP1	22 Oct 2009 SP1: 22 Feb 2011	14 Jan 2020	7601	EOL Toolchain floor — lowest OS a VS2022 build runs on.
Windows 8	26 Oct 2012	12 Jan 2016	9200	EOL Touch-first misfire; forced to 8.1 → ~3-yr life. Skip.
Windows 8.1	17 Oct 2013	10 Jan 2023	9600	EOL Negligible share; no distinct target.
Windows 10	29 Jul 2015	14 Oct 2025	19045 22H2	Baseline EOL but huge base; last update 22H2.
Windows 11	5 Oct 2021	ongoing	26200 25H2	Current Needs TPM 2.0 + newer CPU.

win 8 Removed the Start menu for a full-screen tile UI forced onto desktops; Windows RT (ARM) couldn't run desktop apps and flopped. 8.1 walked it back; 10 restored the Start menu (and skipped the name "9").

11 naming YYH2 = year + second half. Win11 ships one feature update a year, each autumn, so every release is "H2." The build number (26100 = 24H2, 26200 = 25H2) is what matters technically, not the label.

macOS

~3 yrs of security updates (current + 2 prior)

Version	Launched	Status	Note
26 Tahoe	2025	Current	Year-based rename (aligns with iOS 26).
15 Sequoia	2024	Supported	—
14 Sonoma	2023	Supported	Oldest still getting security.
13 Ventura	2022	EOL	—
12 Monterey	2021	EOL	—
11 Big Sur	2020	EOL	Apple Silicon transition; version jumped 10.15 → 11. Practical arm64 floor.
10.15 Catalina	2019	EOL	32-bit apps dropped — 64-bit only from here.
10.14 Mojave	2018	EOL	Last macOS to run 32-bit apps.
10.7–10.13 Lion → High Sierra	2011–2017	EOL	All end-of-life.

iOS / iPadOS

annual release each September

Version	Launched	Status	Note
iOS 26	Sep 2025	Current	Year-based rename (was next after 18).
iOS 18	Sep 2024	Supported	—
iOS 17	Sep 2023	Supported	Security back-patches.
iOS 15–16	2021–2022	EOL	Occasional security only.
iOS 12–14	2018–2020	EOL	Common low deployment targets for reach.
iOS 11	Sep 2017	EOL	64-bit only — 32-bit apps & devices dropped.
iOS 5–10 incl. iOS 7 redesign	2011–2016	EOL	iOS 7 (2013) = flat visual overhaul.

Android

no fixed per-version EOL — you pick a minSdk (API level)

Version	Launched	API	Note
Android 16	2025	36	Current
Android 15	2024	35	Current
Android 13–14	2022–2023	33–34	Supported Common targetSdk range.
Android 10–12	2019–2021	29–32	Still widely in the field.
Android 8–9 Oreo · Pie	2017–2018	26–28	Old but non-trivial share.
Android 5–7 Lollipop → Nougat	2014–2016	21–25	API 21 (5.0) = practical minSdk floor.
Android 4.x ICS → KitKat	2011–2013	14–19	GLES2 era; below any realistic floor.

android eol There are no calendar EOL dates per version — support is really "does Google Play Services still run" plus your own minSdk. New Play submissions must hit a recent targetSdk, but minSdk is your floor. Axmol runs back to GLES2, so the limit is practical reach, not the engine.

On the horizon

expected — projected from release cadence, not confirmed

Platform	Next release	Expected	Note
Windows	Win 11 26H2	Autumn 2026	Expected Annual autumn update. A separate "Windows 12" is rumoured but unconfirmed.
macOS	macOS 27	Autumn 2026	Expected Continues year-based naming after 26 Tahoe.
iOS / iPadOS	iOS 27	Sep 2026	Expected Annual September release after iOS 26.
Android	Android 17 API 37	2026	Expected Next annual release after Android 16.

note These rows are projections from each vendor's release cadence, not confirmed specs. Names and windows follow the established pattern (year-based for Apple, YYH2 for Windows); build/API numbers are omitted where not yet known.

Recommended targets — Axmol 2.x

Baseline for a customer base that includes legacy machines, mid-2026.

Windows

Baseline Win 10 22H2 (x64). Optional floor Win 7 SP1 → ANGLE feature level 9_3 → keep POT 2048 atlas pages. x64 only.

macOS

Support last 3 (Sonoma → Tahoe). Drop to Big Sur 11 for the Apple-Silicon floor. Ship a universal (x64 + arm64) binary.

iOS / iPadOS

Deployment target iOS 12–13 for reach. 64-bit only — non-negotiable since iOS 11. Metal renderer.

Android

minSdk API 21 (5.0). Recent targetSdk for Play. GLES2 on old devices → POT 2048 atlas, same as the Win 7 path.